About: Brandon

PROFESSION: Chief Angler
I am a life long angler who started fishing from a young age. I originally started fishing the local creek and pond that was on my family farm located in northern Harford County Maryland. I have practiced the full gamut of fishing techniques from dunking worms for sunfish, live-lining eels for striped bass, fishing plastic worms for largemouth, trolling offshore for tuna, marlin, and sailfish, light tackle fishing for Striped Bass (or Rockfish as we call them in the Chesapeake region), Trout, Flounder and Perch to chasing Bonefish with the fly rod. If there is even a chance to catch a fish on the fly rod in any waters you can rest assured I will try.
I spent as much time as I could as a child at my grandparent's house on the Eastern Shore of Maryland fishing Leeds Creek, the Miles River, Choptank River and mid-bay waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Many a day I spent with my grandfather, uncle, brother and cousins fishing with Capt. Buddy Harrison Sr. out of Tilghman Island, MD trolling for the big blues that used to prowl the middle Chesapeake Bay waters. During my high school days at Boys Latin School of Maryland I would fish local ponds for largemouth and the Gunpowder River chasing trout with friends after soccer or lacrosse practice.
During my undergraduate and graduate days at Washington College in Chestertown, Md, I lived on Still Pond Creek just north of Chestertown, MD with my brother Spencer and a few other hardcore angler roommates and fished the upper portion of the bay just about every day, rain or shine. I then moved my home base to Langford Creek where I fished the Chester River and the surrounding waters of Eastern Neck Island and middle Chesapeake Bay. After learning much of the Chester River area I decided it was time to move down the bay and explore the upper reaches of Choptank River after hearing of the great white perch, crappie, and largemouth fishing the river offered. So it was off to Denton to a place on the river where I explored these fish infested waters. I now have a home in Easton, MD where I live with my lovely girlfriend, our two dogs, two cats and horse. I fish out of a 21SE Parker which I keep on the trailer and can be found pulling my rig from as far north as Montauk, New York to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in southern Virginia as far down as far as Beaufort, NC to offshore in the Mid Atlantic region to follow the "hot bite". While on my travels I always try to record a few of my fishing podcasts which you can find on my site here, on TidalFish.com and on Lateral Line.
Besides exploring the many waters of the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coast, I travel the world in search of all species. I especially seek out destinations where my first love (followed by striper fishing) bonefish swim. I have fished the waters of Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, many islands in the Bahamas, the Seychelles Islands, Turks and Cacios, Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware,Florida, Illinois, Idaho Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
CAREER: Entrepreneur - Chief Angler, Lateral Line
I am an entrepreneur, and have been aninvestor and served in management with a Fortune 100 company. I worked for two prominent venture capital firms in Northern Virginia (GIV Venture Partners and Updata Partners) spanning the enterprise software, B to C and B to B internet, and healthcare sectors. I also worked as a Senior Manager at America Online, Inc. in the Broadband and Premium Services Division helping to develop new business units.
I started my professional career as a pioneer on the Internet in 1995 as the Founder and CEO of Worldwide Angler, Inc. I built the business plan and led the company from inception through three rounds of financings. Worldwide Angler was recognized as the leading recreational fishing interactive media and e-commerce site on the internet by publications such USA Today and for its leading technology by PC Magazine.
I am the Co-Founder(along with my brother Spencer) and Chief Angler of Lateral Line, Inc. located in Easton, MD. Lateral Line is an outdoor apparel company specializing in technical year round apparel for anglers. Lateral Line makes things like fishing shirts, fishing pants, rain gear and other technical clothing for year round fishing adventures. We also owns and operate one of the largest recreational fishing community sites on the internet called TidalFish.com(http://www.TidalFish.com). The site has over 40,600 registered anglers where I serve as Chief Angler.
Community and Industry Interests
I am the Co-Founder and current Board member of the Marine Ventures Foundation (MVF). MVF is recognized as one of the leading foundations that leverages innovative new technologies and techniques in the study of marine conservation. In addition, I am the Co-Founder of the Easton Entrepreneur Dinner Club. The organization promotes continued economic growth and support for entrepreneurs on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. I am the Founder of the Lateral Line Foundation that supports grass roots fisheries conservation. In addition, I volunteer at the Sylvan Beach Foundation located in Baltimore, M. The Foundation is an entrepreneurial non-profit organization that simultaneously pursues both a financial and social return on investment. The mission of Sylvan Beach is to create a community of responsible young adults who help one another develop lives of purpose and self sufficiency. The mission is accomplished in a family setting where the residents live, work and learn together.
My previous community service includes serving on the Maryland Outdoor Caucus (A select group of public and private sector leaders who are asked by the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources to use their experience and expertise to help guide the Department’s policies and programs) as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland.
Associations and Memberships
I am an active member of the Mason Dixon Outdoor Writers Association and Outdoor Writers Association of America. I have worked with a variety of fishing tackle and clothing companies helping design and test new products. I have appeared on fishing shows airing on ESPN and the Outdoor Life Network (now Versus), on local and international radio fishing shows (such as Martin James at the Waters Edge) and in local/national fishing publications. I have authored many fishing articles ranging from saltwater light tackle rigging and techniques to fly fishing and occasionally speak at local fishing clubs and conservation organizations.
Education
I have my MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School in International Strategy and Finance. I have studied at Erasmus, Rotterdam School of Management, Netherlands, Gdansk Foundation for Management Development, Poland, EGADE, Monterrey, Mexico, FGV-EAESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
In addition,I have a BA and Masters in Psychology from Washington College located in Chestertown, Maryland where I graduated with an Honors Thesis and was a member of the Psi Chi National Honor Society
Personal Interests
Light Tackle Fishing, Fly fishing, Offshore Fishing, Jeeps, Motorcycles, Flying, and Cross Training